Shiny new fire trucks roll into Hills as SA fireys deployed
In its fiftieth year of battling blazes across the state, the CFS is unveiling new trucks and revealing details of a crack contingent helping battle wildfires.
Fifteen new trucks will join the Country Fire Service’s 800-strong fleet today, with CFS Chief Officer Brett Loughlin joined by local volunteers at Stirling’s CFS station on Wednesday morning to show off the new wheels.
Meanwhile, three SA volunteers have received the call-up to join top Aussie firefighters battling wildfires in Canada.
The $10 million addition to the fleet, which includes multi-purpose pumpers and HazMat Urban Rural Pumpers unveiled today, would boost the service’s capacity to respond to urban incidents including road crash rescue and Hazmat incidents, Loughlin said.
“These are just the first of dozens of new, purpose-built trucks our volunteers will begin to see rolled out across the state in the next 18 months,” Loughlin said.
The first brigades will start using the new trucks in the coming months.
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There are 33 HAZMAT brigades within the CFS, specialised units trained to manage incidents involving dangerous chemicals, toxic spills, fuel leaks or hazardous materials, and 66 road crash rescue brigades.
Emergency Services Minister Rhiannon Pearce said the investment into the latest equipment would “protect crews who don’t think twice in answering the call”.
“CFS volunteers are the neighbours who step up when you need it the most and this rollout is another important measure in keeping them and their communities safe,” Pearce said.
News of the new firefighting equipment comes as the service marks 50 years of fire and rescue services saying it now has about 13,000 volunteers across the state.
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In 1976, the state government passed the Country Fires Act, which officially established the CFS, expanding SA’s history of rural firefighting to include road accident rescue and general emergency response, especially in areas where there were no other emergency services.
Today, the service has 425 brigades across six regions of South Australia.
As well as fighting in their own backyard, SA firefighters started their 50th year by being deployed to support bushfire efforts in Victoria, and last week, three set off for Canada.
SA’s two volunteer divisional commanders Malcolm Biscoe and Steven Douglas along with public information officer Brittany Evins were deployed last week with a group of Australians battling wildfires in British Columbia.
Douglas said it was an honour to represent the CFS overseas.
“There are many similarities to the way we operate in South Australia, but also many differences. There will be steep terrain, hard work and big fires,” he said.
“It’s great that we can represent the CFS and Australia and do our part.”
There have been more than 800 active fires in Canada throughout August so far, with more than 700 described as “out of control” by authorities.
The three SA firefighters will be deployed in Canada for up to 35 days, and this is the fourth consecutive year that CFS firefighters have travelled to support colleagues in Canada.
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